Springfinger

What is a jumping finger?

Spring finger is a condition where a finger joint locks while bent. The locking occurs because the finger tendon that connects the finger muscle to the finger bone swells up and gets trapped under the tendon sheath that surrounds the tendon in some places. If this happens, you may have trouble stretching out your finger after bending it.

Why do you get a jumping finger?

The reason why some people experience jumping finger is not known. Presumably, in some cases, overloading a finger can result in jumping finger.

Older people, mostly women and people who have diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome are at greater risk than the general population of getting a jumper finger.

How can you treat a jumping finger?

Often you can loosen and straighten the jumper finger by using your other hand or possibly a doorknob or something with a rounded surface. However, this typically only solves the problem for a short time and in most cases the finger will reattach at a later date.

Steroid hormone can be injected around the affected tendon, but how well it works varies from person to person.

If steroid injections are not effective, HZ acupuncture or surgery can be performed.